Cure for peeling fingernails

Nowadays fingernails serve a cosmetic purpose, but their primitive uses included digging and defending. Nails also protect your fingertips and enhance your ability to pick up items.

Nails are made from keratin, a protein that’s also found in your hair. Nails have multiple tough layers that can peel. This can cause them to appear thin or become weakened, causing them to split. The medical term for peeling or splitting fingernails is onychoschizia.

Peeling nails can be the result of outside or external trauma to the nail. More rarely, they can indicate a systemic condition, or a sign that a pathologic process is occurring inside your body.

It takes six months for a fingernail to grow to its full length. That means it’s possible to experience nail abnormalities as a result of something that occurred months earlier.

Trauma or damage to the nail itself can cause peeling. Soaking your hands in hot water while doing the dishes or engaging in any other prolonged water exposure can dry out the nails. This can also cause peeling.

Other traumatic causes of peeling include:

any activity that presses on the nail

overusing the nails as a tool

picking or peeling off nail polish

applying false or acrylic nails

If you can’t attribute your peeling nails to an external or internal cause, one way to tell the difference is to compare your toenails and fingernails.

Peeling nails rarely have internal causes or are a medical emergency. However, if your nails are causing severe pain or bleeding in addition to peeling, you may want to seek urgent medical care.

Most often, at-home treatments can reduce the incidence of peeling nails.

If you suspect your peeling nails are the result of an iron deficiency, you may want to consider increasing your daily iron intake. Examples of foods that are high in iron include:

baked potato with skin

fortified breakfast cereals

lean meats

lentils

spinach

white beans

You can also take a daily iron supplement. If you take a multivitamin, read the label carefully. Not all manufacturers include iron as a part of the standard multivitamin.

According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, taking more than 25 milligrams of elemental iron reduces the body’s ability to absorb zinc. To prevent this adverse effect, avoid taking excessive iron supplements.

In addition to incorporating iron in your diet, the Mayo Clinic recommends asking your doctor about the possibility of taking biotin to help strengthen nails.

You should also take steps to keep your nails moisturized. This includes minimizing prolonged exposure to water.

If you partake in water activities, such as swimming, apply lotion or cream to your hands and nails.

If you use artificial nails, it’s important to gently remove all nail coatings without scraping or pulling. If you force off the nail coating, it will cause nail damage and peeling that will ultimately scar your nail beds. This can lead to thin, fragile nails.

Instead, care for your nails by filing them with a nail file around the tips of the nails. The nails should be filed into a curve, not into sharp points on the sides or tips. This helps prevent snagging, breaking, and splitting.

Buffing your nails can give them a healthy appearance but be sure to use a one-direction buffing motion. A back-and-forth motion can thin the nail plate, making your nails more prone to peeling.

Peeling nails can be the result of too little or too much moisture.

The former can be caused by repeatedly getting the nails wet and then drying them. With the latter, sheer soaking in water while performing things like household chores makes the nails soft and possibly causes peeling or sloughing of the nail.

You can protect your nails by applying a clear nail polish. One with nylon fibers may be especially helpful in strengthening the nail.

Another way to prevent peeling nails is to avoid using the nails as tools to pick up or open items, which can weaken them. Instead, use the pads of your fingers.

Your fingernails can reveal a lot about the state of your health. Conditions ranging from stress to kidney and thyroid disease can cause changes in your nails. One common change is the appearance of vertical or horizontal ridges. Most of the time, ridges in fingernails are harmless.

Fingernails are made by living skin cells in your fingers. So a skin condition such as eczema may lead to fingernail ridges. Skin dryness can also cause these ridges. If your body is low in protein, calcium, zinc, or vitamin A, a deficiency can sometimes be revealed by ridges in your fingernails.

Vertical ridges

Vertical ridges are furrows that run from the tip of your fingernail down to the cuticle. They are sometimes called longitudinal striations or bands.

Slight vertical ridges in fingernails often develop in older adults, possibly due to a slowing of cell turnover. This is when new skin cells produced below the surface of your skin rise up to take the place of dead cells that are discarded from the surface.

If you experience other symptoms like color or texture changes in your nails, it may be caused by a medical condition. In trachyonychia, or 20-nail dystrophy, the ridges may be accompanied by a change in color to your nails, or your nails may become rough or brittle.

Iron deficiency anemia can also trigger vertical ridges and changes to your nails that make them concave, or spoon-shaped.

Horizontal ridges

Deep horizontal ridges, called Beau’s lines, are often symptoms of a serious condition. They may actually stop nail growth until the underlying condition is treated. Acute kidney disease may also be present if Beau’s lines appear. In addition, when Beau’s lines develop on all 20 nails, it could be a symptom of:

Chemotherapy may also cause Beau’s lines.

Trauma to your nails can cause red or brown spots to form underneath your nails. However, if you notice dark brown, black, or red color changes under your nails and you haven’t experienced nail trauma, this can be a symptom of a more serious condition, such as endocarditis or melanoma.

Sudden changes in your nails should be examined by your doctor. If you damaged your nail in an injury, you may wait to see how the nail and your finger heal for a few weeks before deciding whether to see a doctor.

However, you should see your doctor as soon as possible if the injury resulted in:

a clean or ragged cut through your nail

a crushed nail

a nail being torn off

bleeding under your nail

During your appointment, your doctor will examine your nails and ask about any other symptoms you’re experiencing.

Your doctor may order urine and blood tests if they suspect kidney disease, diabetes, or nutritional deficiencies.

If it appears the ridges are the result of a skin condition, a dermatologist can start you on a treatment plan.

If the cause of your fingernail ridges is unclear, your dermatologist may take some fingernail clippings to have them analyzed in a lab for signs of infection.

Because fingernail ridges are usually signs of other health problems, treatment is focused on the underlying cause of the changes to your nails. For example, if you’ve developed Beau’s lines because of diabetes, successfully controlling your blood sugar may reduce these horizontal fingernail ridges.

Treatment for skin conditions such as eczema may include moisturizers for your hands or topical ointments to reduce eczema symptoms. If low levels of minerals or vitamins are to blame, you may be advised to alter your diet or take supplements to boost your levels.

Buffing your fingernails with an emery board may help smooth ridges. Ask your dermatologist for advice on treating your nails. You’ll want to be careful not to press too hard to avoid further damage.

Most of the time, ridges in fingernails are normal signs of aging. However, it’s important to pay attention to fingernail ridges and other nail changes. These might be the first signs of a serious medical problem.

Ridges in the fingernails are often normal signs of aging. Slight vertical ridges commonly develop in older adults. In some cases, they may be a sign of health problems like vitamin deficiencies or diabetes. Deep horizontal ridges, called Beau’s lines, may indicate a serious condition.

Hi everybody- I've had peeling fingernails all my life...I tried everything, every product, every horse-hoof cream, every vitamin. Nothing really worked. I started taking Fish Oil capsules (only one, maybe 2x a week) for general health, NOT for my nails, and whadda ya know? My nails have totally quit peeling and have been growing real nice, for the first time ever. Just thought I'd pass it along....I don't eat fish at all, so maybe my body was lacking the Omega 3 or whatever that your nails need?? Don't know, but it's working!

07-22-2008, 07:33 PM

Location: Texas

5,070 posts, read 8,988,661 times

Reputation: 1632

That is a great discovery. Did it also help with cuticles?

07-23-2008, 06:17 AM

Location: Between Philadelphia and Allentown, PA

5,077 posts, read 13,070,890 times

Reputation: 3732

After getting really interested in juicing, taking vitamins to optimize my health not just one of those multi vitamins, this is what I take daily and have noticed a drastic difference in my overall feeling of health, hair, nails and skin.I take the following vitamins and read You on a Diet by Dr. Oz, which notes some of these vitamins.... the rest I researched on my own.

GlucosomineNiacinMagnesium (but not at the same time as the Niacin)Cod liver oil (it's a gel type tab)CoQ102 baby aspirinChromium Picolinate

The combination of vitamins have worked really well for me and have a lot of healthful benefits.My nails used to be really brittle and would break off once they barely got long, now they grow so fast I have to keep them cut all the time. My skin has cleared up a lot and even though I rarely broke out, it glows now and I look more youthful than my age.My weight has gone down but this isn't just because of the vitamins. My hair is shinier.I feel like I have more energy now too. My daily routine hasn't changed much but I used to be very tired all afternoon and that has improved.

07-23-2008, 07:18 AM

Location: Orlando

8,178 posts, read 16,554,809 times

Reputation: 49786

My nails stopped peeling when I started taking calcium. I didn't know that was what is was until I went to get a manicure and the lady complimented me on my nails. I told here that they used to peel and such and the 1st thing she asked me was "do you take a calcium supplement?" Being of a certain age (cough cough) the answer is yes!She said that's why.

I am going to try the vitamin list above tho.

07-26-2008, 03:40 PM
145 posts, read 408,179 times

Reputation: 54

Quote:

Originally Posted by kitty3
Hi everybody- I've had peeling fingernails all my life...I tried everything, every product, every horse-hoof cream, every vitamin. Nothing really worked. I started taking Fish Oil capsules (only one, maybe 2x a week) for general health, NOT for my nails, and whadda ya know? My nails have totally quit peeling and have been growing real nice, for the first time ever. Just thought I'd pass it along....I don't eat fish at all, so maybe my body was lacking the Omega 3 or whatever that your nails need?? Don't know, but it's working!
You're right it does help. It not only helped my nails but my hair and skin as well.

05-13-2010, 07:04 AM
1 posts, read 120,091 times

Reputation: 18

Ok, had the same problem. Always had lovely nails, never had the fakes. I turned 40 something and suddenly my nails are peeling like pages in a book. My doctor thought it might be thyroid- test said my thyroid is fine.Doc said try a prenatal vitamin or biotin or B complex. So heres what i did:Stopped at Walgreens, got biotin suppliment (nothing fancy, whatever they had) while I was there I was looking for the Jojoba oil that I've read helps, couldn't find it. I did find a hand lotion- Nivea Soft moistureizing cream, it has Jojoba oil and vitamin E. Again, not exspensive!That night I rub it into my nails and hands and sleep with a pair of cloth gloves (think i got them at Bed Bath and Beyond for 10.00) I'm sure the sock trick would work also. Lets be honest I can not stop several times a day to rub lotion on my nails.THE NEXT DAY I saw improvement! A few days later of doing this and there has been a huge change!Not sayin this will work for everyone, but it did for me.

05-13-2010, 02:43 PM

Location: Neither here nor there

14,810 posts, read 14,012,464 times

Reputation: 32944

My nails stopped peeling 50 years ago when I stopped using ANY kind of nail polish. Nevertheless, they remained fragile and would break easily. When I started taking collagen tablets, they got hard as nails.

05-14-2010, 05:14 AM

Location: SoCA to NC

1,877 posts, read 6,904,853 times

Reputation: 1228

Everytime I have tried taking vitamins they make me burp all day. Fish oil was the worst. How do y'all take all these vitamins without them repeating on you and or making you feel sick? When I was preggo with child number 1 I did a prenatal with no issues and felt great. With 2 & 3 the prenatal made me sick as well as having the issue I mention above. Ever since then I can't seem to tolerate a lot of vitamins although I do take 2000 ICU of vitamin D with no issues as well as Vitamin C (chewable). What gives?

05-14-2010, 09:59 AM

Location: Neither here nor there

14,810 posts, read 14,012,464 times

Reputation: 32944

If you take them with a meal, they should settle in with the food just fine. Taking them with little or no food will make them repeat on you.

05-14-2010, 12:56 PM
8,415 posts, read 35,335,173 times

Reputation: 6268

Try flaxseed versions if the fish oils give you problems. Its the vegetarian equivalent.

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